Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
08:2487399THIS CONTAINS POLITICS Today the tory govt announced car parking charges are in many areas to be scrapped.
moving away from trying to get people out of cars and more use of public transport.
wonder if thats a good idea where many roads may well become grid locked.
but some tory council leaders have already said they will be keeping car parking charges because of the poor settlement from the govt to its council
wonder what paulw and crew are thinking of doing here?
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Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
3 January 2011
08:3987405I don't yet know Keith, but as much as I didn't like the increases last time, it was 3 years ago and they signed up for 3 years.
Car-parking income is a very important consideration as regards Council Tax - the revenue helps keep other services going, so I don't expect DDC to do away with them at all, maybe put them up a little.
I'm not a Cabinet member so am not a party to that level of discussion.
Roger
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
3 January 2011
09:2787411This is quite clearly an announcement to take the sting out of the VAT rise. However this initiative passes the buck, the responsibility, from central government onto local councils...but as we all know local councils have had their budgets cut dramatically and are not in a position to pass parking cuts onto the motorist. This announcement is cynical in the extreme as its not going to happen...and if it doesnt happen it wont be seen as the governments fault.
Heavy car parking charges have been more responsible than any other item for killing off trade in central town locations.
Just heard a Conservative Councillor from Knutsford on R4 and they arent going to cut parking charges...they cant afford to...so there you have it!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 January 2011
10:4487428this seems to be another example of "localism", expecting councils to do more with less money.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
10:4787429howard/paulb
the same tory cllr was on tv
from knutsford now you name the place
yep govt should be lobbied not to lay it allon local councils with no extra dosh.
councils are strapped for dosh
i can see this all going tips up
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Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
3 January 2011
10:5087432I went to Herne Bay yesterday ,my grandchildren have taken up Roller Skating.The car parking on the sea front two hours free Whilst the children spent a couple of hours roller skating my son ,wife and I went to a most delightful fish restaurant .It is well recommended.with good reviews.We then went for a bracing walk along the delightful promenade ..
Clean tidy and very attractive .
Must not get political but even the skating session was cheaper than Dover .
If you provide free facilities and in some cases cheaper it encourages vistors
I know our road sweeper is good but Dover does need a good spring clean .
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
10:5987438sue
the cheaper(free) idea is shared by ken livingstone
interesting you agree.
we do have a very ow morale in the country at the moment
together with people not interested in politics even though it affects there every day life.
we do need the pride back in people, but thats a long way off and so much to do to change the way people act/think and an education
if we truely want a society that cares for others and takes pride in everyhing
but theres no light at the end of the tunnel on this one, as it wil take a big change
in peoples thinking, not likely in todays climate
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Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
3 January 2011
11:0587440Can not imagine DDC giveing up on this one remember Town council saying, if they wish us to take over this and that then a car park and its revenue would help but we got a firm NO as our answer.
When you visit Canterbury you can park and ride all day for two pound fifty, thats more of a draw to people than here when you only get two hours for the same money.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
3 January 2011
11:0887443I do agree with you Keith .There is low morale and I myself cannot see how we will move forward .
My son drove back via the country lanes or tried to road works Minster end .Today people do not see the pleasure in looking round at the country side .Just in a hurry
In another posting I mentioned St Radigunds .Yes it does take longer now getting into town by bus but I see different people and indeed look out for some of them .Several of them remeber me from St Radigunds school days .
Does not cost money to chat to someone..
Unregistered User
3 January 2011
11:5387455You are not correct in your posting Keith.
The announcement says that councils will be given more powers to set car parking charges not fettered by Dept. of Transport controls.
We will be reviewing our charging regime in view of VAT increases & three year freeze. That review will be concluded within 2-3 weeks.
For DDC this announcement will not affect our current policies and how we have operated our car parking pricing systems .
Like for like DDC car park charges are the cheapest in East Kent and will probably remain in that place.
Watty
Unregistered User
3 January 2011
12:2287462PaullyB your posting sums it up nicely.
Eric makes no bones about his approach to local govt. funding.
You get the powers but we are taking away the money.
You asked for the powers , we have given them to you.
Now you have the powers,don't come knocking on my door.
I'm prepared to get on with it and will set a budget that delivers savings of £3.2m .
Fees & charges have been thru. the system and scrutinised by all parties.
Car parking comes in next weeks.
Full implications to staff and services where changes take place will become clearer , again in next 4-5 weeks.
Don't expect any great surprises that have not been thru. existing consultation and reviews.
What is certain is that we will reduce expenditure and freeze DDC's element of the council tax.
Whichever party had been in power the cuts to local govt. funding from central govt. would have been the same.
The difference is probably how quickly the financial cuts were to be implemented not how much.
One Partywould have done it slower ? so it says but kept more central controls, the other as we now know will push harder now & give more freedoms to make decisions.
It's will be for the public to decide who has got it right.
But make no mistake the decisions are still the same whichever party is in power at local level.
You'll have to decide who is better equipped to deliver the fairest & stable result whilst delivering and BALANCING A BUDGET & take Dover forward.
Watty
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
12:5387468not wrong at all paulw.
and interesting they will remain in place.
your correct though paulw any political party would have had to look at things much the same.
and boy you are right the people will decide in may
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 January 2011
13:0987475intertesting that mr pickles is asking councils to spend their reserves in order to keep afloat, some years ago mr simon bannister announced that d.d.c. had done exactly that and all hell broke loose.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
13:1387478of course howard your right.
and we have discussed this before, councils have such limited powers these days you would often not know what party is control(ior not as the case may be lol)
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Unregistered User
3 January 2011
17:1587551You are correct Howard.
Your memory is good.
This administration does not believe on living on reserves.
The difference between the Pickles reserve suggestion is vastly different to the Bannister/Sansum administration use of reserves.
The latter's solution dealt with paying for "normal household weekly expenses" out of savings YEAR ON/YEAR OFF. whilst the Pickle's method says only spend it as a "ONE OFF".
With the Bannister/Sansum system you only stave off the inevitable and make the cuts/decisions even greater.
Does that sound familiar to today's national predicament.
Be honest with the public they are sensible enough to work it out.
Watty
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
17:2187555cor me and simon spoke about in same breath
lol
we used to argue a fair bit
lol
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Unregistered User
3 January 2011
17:3587558Like to attribute your role to decision making Keith.
Let's not forget your stirring Performances in the last Labour financial disaster at DDC.
Shades of Gordon Brown and the residue we are now dealing with both locally and nationally.
Can't help keep bringing back the memories sorry nightmares of the past.
Watty
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
3 January 2011
17:5387561none of it correct paulw
but dream on
may will decide your fate
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Unregistered User
3 January 2011
18:1387568Wish it were a dream Keith, your actions are described as nightmares!!
That's why we need to keep people's minds focussed on the origins of the financial mess and ask the question "do you trust these people to run your financial affairs?".
Not abour politics this Keith , more abour financial competence and accepting responsibility.
Watty
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
3 January 2011
18:3087576cannot agree with mr pickles reasoning paul.
if a council spends the reserves in a one off then they end up with nothing just the same as the situation you attribute to the reds.